On June 19, USDA designated Evans, Montgomery, Tatnall and Treutlen counties as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by excessive rain, high winds and hail that occurred between Feb. 24 and March 24.

Farmers in the designated counties may be eligible for emergency loans from the USDA's Farm Service Agency.

Farmers in eligible counties have eight months from the date of the declaration to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses.

FSA will consider each loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of the losses, security available and repayment ability.

FSA has a variety of programs in addition to the emergency loans to assist farmers and ranchers, including the Emergency Conservation Program, Federal Crop Insurance and the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.

Interested farmers may contact their local USDA Service Centers for more information on eligibility requirements and application procedure. Additional information is also available online at http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.